


Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

by iseult1124



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Academy Era, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-08
Updated: 2014-04-08
Packaged: 2018-01-18 16:11:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1434613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iseult1124/pseuds/iseult1124
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Patience is a virtue - one Jim is struggling with at the moment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shiptoomuch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiptoomuch/gifts).



> A belated birthday present for Anneliese. I saw her tumblr post about her upcoming birthday and it got the wheels turning, expanding a scene that had popped in my head a couple weeks ago and then went nowhere. Hope you enjoy hun, and I hope you had a wonderful birthday!

Blue eyes tracked the elliptical path being worn into the carpet by the pacing of his best friend. It was impossible to say how long Leonard had been pacing - he was already at it when Jim had arrived at their dorm - but given the depth of the groove, it had been a while.

"What’s up Bones?"

Leonard visibly startled at the sudden noise, disproving Jim’s assumption that the other man had been aware of his surroundings.

"What?" The confusion was plain to see in Leonard’s face.

Jim couldn’t help but smile, particularly when the little wrinkle between Leonard’s eyebrows emerged. The urge to kiss it away was rather strong, but he resisted.

Friends just didn’t do that.

"I said ‘What’s up Bones?’. What has you wearing a hole in the floor?"

Leonard blinked down at the floor, the wrinkle in his brow deepening alongside his confusion. After blinking at the floor a few more times, he seemed to shake off his malaise and met Jim’s eyes.

"Just mulling a few things over, Jim; nothing to worry about."

Jim felt his smile slip a little. There was no question that Bones was a private man and would share only if (and when) he felt ready, and Jim certainly wasn’t going to pry in the meantime. Knowing and accepting this, though, did not stop the flash of hurt that Bones’ dismissal of something that had clearly had him agitated brought.

Jim walked over to his dresser to grab a clean t-shirt and running shorts, determined to follow Bones’ instructions and not worry about whatever was making the wheels turn so furiously in his friend’s head. Desired items in hand he turned towards the bathroom so that he could relieve himself and change out of his uniform.

"I’ve got a couple papers to write tonight, so I’m heading out for a run to clear my head," Jim called out over his shoulder as he crossed the bathroom threshold. "Dinner later, or do you have a clinic shift?"

"Yeah, I’ve got a clinic shift; won’t be back until late." Though they were muffled, Jim could hear sounds of movement coming from the bedroom. He hoped they were the result of Bones getting himself ready for his shift, and not because he’d resumed pacing.

Silently chastising himself for failing in his endeavor to not fret, Jim gathered up his discarded uniform and boots and exited the lavatory. He didn’t even bother to try ignoring the overwhelming relief that swept through him at the sight of Bones pulling his scrub top over his head.

And since Bones had his back to him, Jim also didn’t bother to ignore the very welcome opportunity to let his eyes trace the lines of Bones’ back. 

~

Over the course of the next few weeks things were, generally, back to normal. As far as Jim could tell Bones hadn’t succumbed to furious pacing again, but there were times that he appeared lost in thought or would open his mouth as though he was going to say something, only to close it again with a slight shake of his head. 

Jim’s resolve to not worry about whatever it was that was going on with Bones, and to not be hurt by the continued silence, had been wavering by the day. 

He was sitting at his desk, PADDs strewn in front of him, giving the impression he was hard at work on some class assignment or other. In reality, they merely served as a focal point for his eye line - all of Jim’s attention was on the man quietly working on his own assignments at his own desk, willing Bones to finally say something and willing himself to broach the subject. 

"Hey Jim?"

The uncharacteristically timid voice drifting over from the opposite side of the room stole Jim’s breath. _Is Bones finally going to share what has been troubling him?_ Jim sat up straighter in anticipation, but made sure to keep his “Yeah Bones?” very nonchalant. 

"I was, um - Would you like to have dinner with me Friday night?"

Jim was relieved he still had his back to Bones; he was sure the confusion he was feeling must be showing on his face. _That was not what I was expecting._

The timidity with which Bones had asked the question didn’t make any sense. They’d had dinner together plenty of times, and had been unable to eat together just as often. It certainly didn’t warrant the out of character behavior, and it couldn’t have triggered the turmoil Bones had been dealing with of late. Jim mentally shrugged, _Maybe he’s planning on telling me what’s been bothering him at dinner Friday - could explain the nerves about asking._

Pausing a moment to make sure he had a pleasant, open expression on his face, Jim turned to look over his shoulder. “Sure Bones, sounds great.”

When he’d first looked over at Bones he hadn’t really noticed how tense his friend’s shoulders and back were. As soon as Jim answered in the affirmative, though, Bones’ rigid posture melted away as he turned towards Jim, throwing the earlier tension into sharp relief.

"Really?!"

Even if Jim hadn’t been looking at him to see it, the relief was clearly evident in Bones’ voice. Jim could feel his eyebrow raise in amused curiosity and interest, a habit he’d clearly picked up from his friend.

"Yes really. You seem awfully relieved, surprised even, that I said yes. Is there something special going on that I haven’t heard about?"

Jim couldn’t help the teasing grin that was growing on his face. The strength of his grin seemed to be directly related to the blush that was spreading across Bones’ face. _Now isn’t that interesting?_

Bones seemed to squirm in his chair, clearly uncertain whether or not whatever it was he had to say would be welcome. Jim could feel his eyebrow climbing ever higher, in concern this time rather than amusement. He’d expected indignation at his teasing, not nervousness.

"I know you don’t like celebrating your birthday, but I want to do something. So I was thinking I could take you out for a nice dinner, my treat, as a - um - date."

Jim was so surprised at the reminder that his birthday was Friday - they’d never celebrated it before and he’d genuinely forgotten - that he nearly missed the latter half of Bones’ explanation.

Nearly.

"Wait - a date? As in dating?" Now it was Jim’s turn to blush.

And grin shyly.

"I think I'd like that, Bones. Maybe seven thirty; I mean, if that works for you?"

If Jim thought that Bones looked relieved before, it was nothing in comparison to the wide, happy grin on his face and his utterly relaxed frame.

"Seven thirty sounds perfect."

The two men shared a happy grin, filled with excitement and anticipation, before turning back to their respective tasks.

Jim suspected that he _had_ been let in on the secret of what had sent Bones pacing all those weeks ago, but he was too happy at the moment to tease the man about it. 

He would have time to harrass Bones about it later, and if he was feeling generous he may even fess up to his own hesitance about broaching the subject of dating. For now, though, he had a date to look forward to. And if that thought happened to put an extra spring in his step over the next couple of days, it was nobody’s business but his own. 

Well, nobody’s business but his and Bones’.

_Fin_


End file.
